Sabbath Sunday 24

John 15:1-6

Essential - pruning toward a flourishing life, because more isn’t always better.

How would you describe a flourishing life?

Paul describes elements of a flourishing life.

Becoming more than doing

Loyal not lazy in your faith

genuine love

impact of others

What is one thing God has taught you about the flourishing life?

My prayer for 2024 over our church (out of Colossians 1:1-14

1. Pray we are filled with wisdom from the Spirit. (Col. 1.9)

2. Pray we live a flourishing life in Christ. (Col 1.10)

3. Pray we are strengthened to endure pruning. (Col 1.11-12)

4. Pray we walk in freedom. (Col 1.13-14)

How have you seen those occur in your life this year?

I want to see the message of Christ fill your life.

Jesus is the Center.

Jesus over everything.

Colossians 3:16–17 (NLT) - 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

new year, same bible recap

new year, same Theme, different emphasis: Essential (con’t) - flourish, prune, repeat.

new year, new collection Essential Command: Love One Another. Being formed into a collective of people living a compelling story of love.

Vision Sunday on January 26.

Essential doesn’t sound all that exciting.

Make boring beautiful and radiant.

often, the more we do, the more we act in the flesh…i often think back to story of abram and sarai and haggar.

Compounding interest with our consistency.

Jesus said to come and be at rest. I Know I Am Relaxing in Jesus When I Am:

* Enjoying communion with Jesus even in the midst of disappointments and storms.

* Experiencing a lack of anxiety in my body.

* Not doing for others what they can and should do for themselves.

* Maintaining my rhythms of being with Jesus in seasons of great pressure.

* Less and less triggered by things going awry.

* Present to the beauty and wonder of those around me.

* Enjoying a deep sense of knowing I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose— | want only God's will.

* Experiencing deep contentment in caring for the people God has entrusted to me.

* Receiving God's gift of limits rather than fighting, ignoring, or denying them.

* Discerning and embracing the season in which God has placed me.

What don’t you want to carry into 2025?

What one thing do you want God to change in your heart this next year?

Which reading plan will you do and who will you go through it with?